Consultation on Council’s Response to Inspector’s Initial Findings

A public consultation was carried out between 15 January 2024 and 12 April 2024 on the council’s response to the Examination Inspector’s Initial Findings which included the following proposed revised development strategy:

• Proposed removal of the strategic policy STR/SS 3: The Strategy for Tudeley Village from the Local Plan.
• Revision of the strategic policy STR/SS 1: The Strategy for Paddock Wood and land at east Capel, including a reduction in the amount of residential housing growth by approximately 1,000 dwellings, with all housing being on Flood Zone 1 and employment land on Flood Zone 2, along with a reduction of employment provision, and reconfigured sport and recreation provision and secondary school education provision (as set out at Appendix D of the Development Strategy Topic Paper Addendum).
• At Hawkhurst it is proposed to revise site allocation policy number AL/HA 5: Land to the north of Birchfield Grove, to include housing, and land safeguarded for primary school expansion (in accordance with a planning committee resolution on application reference 22/02664/HYBRID).
• Also at Hawkhurst, the Council proposes the removal of site allocation policy number AL/HA 8: Limes Grove (March’s Field) from the Local Plan. This site was proposed for employment use in the Submission Local Plan.
• Progression of a 10 year housing land supply position including the requirement for an immediate review of the plan.

The proposed Revised Development Strategy and full response to the Inspector’s Initial Findings Letter is set out in the Development Strategy Topic Paper Addendum [PS_054]. The council’s response to the Inspector was considered and approved by Full Council for public consultation on 13 December 2023. An accompanying Sustainability Appraisal Addendum also formed part of the public consultation and  a set of associated evidence base documents covering a range of matters that informed the Council’s response. All consultation documents including a Summary (Table) of Proposed Modifications to the Development Strategy [PS_063], can be viewed here: Post-Initial Findings Evidence Base Documents.

Representations received

Details of the representations received in response to the public consultation on the council’s response to the Inspector’s initial findings and revised development strategy can be found on the council’s Representations and Next Steps and Submission Local Plan and Core Documents webpages.

Next Steps

Stage 3 Local Plan examination hearing sessions will be held this Summer (June and July 2024). Further details about the hearing session schedule, relevant Matters, Issues and Questions, participation and links to other information can be found on the council’s Examination of the Local Plan webpage.